Is the Human race dumbing down?

jimmyjude · #11 (**permalink**) 04-10-2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a25052

In the March issue of Discovery there is a short article about the IGF2R gene.The gene facililitates the fast release of neurotransmitters, chemicals that pass impulses from cell to cell in the brain. After genetically engineering mice to have only one copy they found that they are slower than the other mice at learning a maze. So they tested 300 human subjects. They found that some males carrying a particular variant of the gene had lower IQs overall. Now it turns out that the variant gene doesn't exist in the animal kingdom. In other words, natural selection has apparently rooted out offspring with the varient gene. Only man harbors the variant gene.

To me this makes sense, since a dumb animal is quickly killed off by preditors, but humans have become more protective of all other humans so the mutant gene is allowed to be propagated in the general population.

The question is, "Should science be allowed to test for the mutant gene and attempt to change it in humans before they become adults or should we do nothing and allow it to propagate randomly?"

These are the kind of questions the human race needs to start discussing as research continues. Should mankind start on a trajectory to make all human life "whole" ridding people of genes that cause diseases and infusing genes that will make them brighter or should we allow the human race to eventually dumb down?

I think that it is entirely impossible to determine that. The reason being that we don't have an accurate benchmark of where human intelligence was before the supposed dumbing down.

Aside from that, aren't we still evolving? And if so, wouldn't dumbing down be counter-intuitive that that so-called fact?

Unless they are making and attack on the social-engineering programs that allow the weak and stupid to succeed.

Eli · #12 (**permalink**) 04-13-2006, 01:52 PM

Maybe we will weed out the weak. we elected a dumb president and maybe his decsions will cause our country to be blown off the map(kinda like the dumb rabbit gets caught and eaten) Mostly my comment was in jest but on a larger scale the theory of the dumber species(country) getting wiped out could apply. Anyway i think its probably a rididculous thought because all presidentail hopefuls right or left have it over this one so life will probably move on and time heals most wounds and wounds all heels.

Joe_King · #13 (**permalink**) 04-15-2006, 06:42 AM

A form of "natural selection" is what kept the 2 John's (Kerry / Edwards for those of you that I am wrong about

)from being elected.

As far as people in general dumbing down; just listen to some of the people on some of these political boards

. It IS Scary!

... but in that sense I think that the extremists have just become empowered in expressing themselves on the internet (hidden behind a computer monitor) I think they have always been there.

Besides that - without dumber people - who would work those lower wage jobs besides the lower intelligent immigrants?
Even the smarter illegal doesn't work the low wage job's!

Burninginla · #14 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 01:53 PM

All you need to do is walk through any mall or public place in the world, and look at all the slack jawed drooling morons with five or ten pathetic copies of themselves trailing along behind them and you will see that this

is true.
The so called intelligent part of the population is looking at overpopulation and strained resources and electing to only have the number of children needed to replace them and their spouse, or even less.
The people on the low end of the curve are out there breeding like rabbits. This is a type of selective breeding. Farmers and ranchers breed cattle for traits that they want. Humans use no judgement no restraints, and so the overall population is becoming more and more stupid. Fewer and fewer people have the capacity to survive in todays complex world, and they will not be able or willing to support the"mindless Majority" for much longer.
Welcome back to the stone age people.